Louise Grant (Earth-616)
| Identity = Secret | Alignment = Good | Affiliation = , All-Winners Squad, She-Hulk | Relatives = Walter Grant (father, deceased); Mark Mason (husband, deceased); Wanda Mason (daughter); Earl Paynter Mason (son); | Universe = Earth-616 | BaseOfOperations = New York, New York | Gender = Female | Height = 5'2" | Weight = 130 lbs | Eyes = Blue | Hair = Blonde | UnusualFeatures = | Citizenship = American | MaritalStatus = Widowed | Occupation = Legal Secretary, crimefighter | Education = High-school graduate | Origin = | PlaceOfBirth = Hoboken, New Jersey | Creators = Stan Lee; Syd Shores | First = All-Select Comics #11 | HistoryText = Origins Louise Grant was a secretary to O.S.S. agent Mark Mason, who ran a private detective agency. Enamored with her boss and wanting to help him break cases, she surreptitiously donned a floor-length red evening gown, black domino mask, and high heels, and ventured out at night fighting crime as the costumed crimefighter the Blonde Phantom. Mark developed a romantic interest in the Blonde Phantom, but continued to not notice Louise, apparently oblivious to the fact that they were both the same woman. 1946 In their earliest recorded case, the Blonde Phantom and Mark Mason were investigating diplomat Signore Korte and his alleged ties to international spies and his desire to steal the United States plans for the atomic bomb. Although they foiled Korte's plot to obtain the plans, they could not get the evidence needed to implicate him in the attempted theft. Later, the pair travelled to South America in order to prevent a chemical weapon created by escaped Nazi scientist Heinz Rheint from falling into the hands of spies seeking to use it against the United States and its allies . Returning to the Untied States, the Blonde Phantom and Mark Mason discovered a plot by Korte's agent False Face to steal plans for a radio control atomic bomb, while at the same time redirecting the only prototype on a course to New York City, hoping that the United States would abandon further development then sell the plans to an enemy nation. False Face took the place of Colonel Ryder, and while the Blonde Phantom went to rescue the real Colonel, she arrived back at the base and revealed the spy. However, she was too late to stop him from loading Mark into the missile and launch it. Louise flew after the rocket, and rescued Mark who had programmed the missile back to it's original target where it exploded harmlessly. The Blonde Phantom also assisted Mark in investigating how spies were getting a hold of sensitive government information. The Blonde Phantom soon uncovered a secret spy cell working out of La Glamour beauty parlour and were using hypnosis to get secrets from the wives of high ranking military officials. The Blonde Phantom lured the spies into a trap, but their leader killed died of poisoning before he could reveal Signor Korte as their employer . 1947 With the dissolution of the O.S.S., Mark started up his own private detective agency, and continued employing Louise as his secretary. As the Blonde Phantom, Louise accompanied Mark on a voyage to England to return jewels that were gifted to George Washington by British loyalists. The jewels were stolen by an ancestor of the loyalists calling himself the Redcoat, but the Blonde Phantom and Mark traced him to his ancestors tomb, where the villain fell to his death, and recovered the stolen jewels. Returning to the United States, Blonde Phantom followed Mark to Hollywood to investigate threats against the life of actor Ken Chalmers who is the star in a remake of the film "Mister Stranger". Although they fail to stop Chalmers from being killed, the capture the murderer Edgar Elliot the lead actor in the original "Mister Stranger" who sought to keep his legacy untarnished . Later, she assists Mark on his investigation of threats toward Elmo Lang, who had purchased what he believed to be Castle Frankenstein and was being threatened by a supposed ancestor who called himself Baron Frankenstein. Discovering that the Baron merely was seeking his ancestors fortune, Blonde Phantom uncovered it within Frankenstein's crypt and turned it over to the brute, who then left the Lang family alone. With money at Mark's detective agency running out, Mark was forced to briefly lay off Louise and take on a shady case for a former con named Ox, who wished to find his old girl Gloria Vance. Louise decided to do her own detective work and got a job as a dancer at the club where Gloria used to work. Managing to track Gloria down, Louise confronted her as the Blonde Phantom. Things took a tragic turn when Mark and Ox showed up. Gloria, not wishing to be found, fatally shot Ox who then strangled her to death. However, Gloria's widowed husband, learning that his deceased wife only wanted him for money paid generously Mark for his services which allowed him to hire Louise back onto her job . Shortly thereafter, Mark was framed for the murder of crooked talent agent Bret "Chestler" Hogan. The Blonde Phantom helped clear Mark's name by exposing the real killer failed theater producer Colonel Bella, who was working with Hogan to hire actresses to trick wealthy men from buying "stolen" works of art in Mexico and then robbing them blind. Louise exposed a plot by Porky Potter and his gang from stealing diamonds from the visiting "president" of Tibet, foiling the plot which ended in Porky's death . On the trail of criminal magicians Abara and Cadabra, Louise took time off from work to join J.B. Gloop's competing magic show to draw the criminals out. When Gloop's show proved more popular, the two rival magicians tried to rob the box office safe and were captured by the Blonde Phantom . 1948 In 1948 Louise continued to operate as the Blonde Phantom covering cases from the dangerous to the mundane. First she investigated thefts at modellings jobs where the prime suspects were the models employed by Carlton Talent Agency. She uncovered that Linda Water and her minion Stillface were being the thefts in order to ruin the agency. Later the Blonde Phantom exposed the Sultan of Bangook's plot to steal the fortunes of wealthy American women . Next the Blonde Phantom worked with Mark Mason to investigate the strange thefts around ventriloquist Omar and his Dummy, the Dummy turning out to be a midget in disguise . The Blonde Phantom also assisted Mark Mason in clearing the name of Joe Brand for the murder of Cecily Harding and captured the real killer Van Glint. In her civilian identity, Louise Grant was finally asked out on a date by Mark Mason, who invited to join him at a dance. However, when Louise arrived Mark snubbed her in favour of someone else. To teach Mark as lesson, Louise changed into the Blonde Phantom and danced with every man in the club except for Mark and left him begging on his knees when she left. Later , the Blonde Phantom assisted officer Jack Bertelli steer a young boy named Jimmy away from a life of crime . Soon after, the Blonde Phantom assisted young would-be actress Molly Day a part in Oscar Malloy's new play "Music Time". However, when Malloy is murdered, the Blonde Phantom captures the killer, the plays lead actress Miss Armanda. With the murder solved the Blonde Phantom got Mark Mason to use his connections in the theater world to get Molly a part . When Dick Wayne is accused of murdering wealthy Reginald Daley, the Blonde Phantom and Mark Mason help clear his named by exposing Reginald's own wife as the killer, and that she had murdered her husband in order to keep her gambling debts a secret . Blonde Phantom and Mark Mason were next pursued by two play writers looking to use their experience to come up with the perfect mystery. However, when one of the play writers uses the idea to eliminate the lead actress Jackie Scott, to stop her from continuing to blackmail him, the Blonde Phantom exposes the murderer and has him arrested . Blonde Phantom is next approached by Susan English and helps her prevent her fiancée from painting a counterfeit painting for Doris Montagne . Later, she prevents a man named Enrico from ruining his former partners opera . After saving the life of scientist Ignatius Fowler, the Blonde Phantom laughs at the man when he suddenly falls in love with her and asks for her hand in marriage. Angered at this rejection Fowler then created a chemical that caused all the men on Earth to enter a coma-like state. He then informed the women of Earth that he would only restore them to normal if the Blonde Phantom agreed to marry him. The Blonde Phantom used her female charms into tricking Fowler into showing her the antidote which she then unleashed, curing all the men on Earth and leading to Fowler's arrest. When investigating a series of murder apparently inspired by stories Ghastly Detective Magazine, the Blonde Phantom saves the publisher of the magazine and his daughter from his lead writer who had developed multiple personality disorder and was acting out the stories he had written . When attending a screening of a Blonde Phantom movie with Mark Mason, Louise spotted that they are being followed by Tooth-Pick Twilliger and Eight-Ball Olsen, two crooks that Mark and the Blonde Phantom previously captured. The two crooks try to assassinate Mark in the theatre, but the Louise managed to change into the Blonde Phantom and capture the crooks before they could seriously hurt Mark . Later, the Blonde Phantom uncovers that her musical jewellery box was the hiding place for a necklace stolen by Johnny Drago years ago. Blonde Phantom helps Drago, now a reformed con, from being eliminated to and exposes that the Judge who sent Drago to prison was seeking to obtain the necklace himself . Louise Grant almost had her real identity exposed when she was approached by Jonathan Littleton, a man claiming to be a psychologist who had discovered her secret identity. Littleton then began a crime spree and threatened to reveal Blonde Phantom's secret identity if she interfered. Deciding to take the risk, the Blonde Phantom apprehended Littleton. As it turned out, Littleton was actually an escapee from a mental institution and when he attempted to reveal the Blonde Phantom's true identity, nobody believed him . Blonde Phantom next cleared the name of Jimmy Sullivan of murder, capturing the true killers Big Dan and Pinkey Desmond. Shortly after this, the Blonde Phantom was framed for crimes thanks to the machinations of her old foe Dr. Demise who used her plastic surgery skills to alter her former cellmate Dora Scott to resemble the Phantom. With the help of Mark Mason, the Blonde Phantom captured her impostor and Dr. Demise, clearing the Blonde Phantom's name. During her manhunt for Nick Symes, the Blonde Phantom also assisted the Harry Charles Band land a gig that finally gets them a record deal . While investigating the theft of a circus payroll, the Blonde Phantom and Mark Mason help clear Jerry -- son of Jeepo the Clown -- of the crime exposing that he was framed by the circus barker . Blonde Phantom next investigated why washed up vaudeville actor H.C. Meadows was hired to try a vaudeville revival in a run down theatre and discovered that it was a cover for a bank robbery. Foiling the robbery, the Blonde Phantom then turned over the reward money to Meadows to fund a legitimate production . Soon after this, the Blonde Phantom assisted pilot Tom Clements get over his fear of crashing by getting him to test pilot a new plane being manufactured by the Trans-American Clipper Company . Later, the Blonde Phantom interrupts a mock trial for Mark's uncle retired Judge Henry Mason, by what appeared to be various criminals that the judge sent to prison. It turned out to be a prank being thrown by Mark and his colleagues. After, the Blonde Phantom attempted to apprehend the Springer after he terrorized the Hobnob Toy Company for refusing to buy his spring shoe invention. Although the Blonde Phantom captured the Springer, charges against him were dropped when the Hobnob Toy Company found a public demand for the invention and purchased it from the Springer. The Blonde Phantom was more successful in apprehending Morton Marion Maximilian Muse, a hypnotist who had forced a young artist to paint abstract paintings, which he then sold to patrons of his art gallery using the self same hypnotic abilities . While participating in a radio charity, the Blonde Phantom's reputation is tarnished when an orphan girl is forced to speak badly of the Blonde Phantom over the radio airwaves by some crooks looking to ruin the heroine's popularity. The Blonde Phantom got to the bottom of the scheme and exposed the crooks and repaired her damaged name . As 1948 came to a close, the Blonde Phantom accepted a challenge from the Spoiler a criminal who made his career embarrassing crime fighters. With the help of Mark Mason the Blonde Phantom managed to defeat the Spoiler . 1949 At the start of 1949, Louise and Mark were invited along with other notable public figures to a scientific exhibition being put on by Professor Krall. This turned out to be a trap, as Krall was a time traveller from the 30th century of Earth-49121 who kidnapped all the attendees to be park of a 20th Century zoo in his native time. Louise changed into the Blonde Phantom and escaped the zoo and learning that none of the people of this era had free will of their own hypnotized their leader, his Excellency and forced him to return her and the other captives to their own time. Louise brought his Excellency back to their own era as well, wiping his mind with amnesia so he could not threaten them again. Accompanying Mark to California to investigate the hauntings at Hawking's Lake, Louise -- as the Blonde Phantom -- soon uncovered that the "ghost" was really property manager Prunella Hawkins who was trying to scare away potential property buyers to continue her futile attempts at finding gold in the region . Back in New York City, the Blonde Phantom answered a call from Mark Mason to meet her at a nearby warehouse to prevent a crime. Louise went unaware that this was all a ruse that Mark orchestrated to try and learn the Blonde Phantom's secret identity. Catching the Blonde Phantom unaware, Mark unmasked her and when confronted with the fact that his secretary was the heroine that he lusted after, Mark instantly believed that Louise was merely posing as the Blonde Phantom so he'd pay attention to her. Louise managed to protect her secret identity and land a date with Mark that very night . Later, Louise was contacted by a painter named Oswald Grimm who sought to paint a picture of the Blonde Phantom. Believing Grimm to be a shady character the Blonde Phantom recruited artist Vince van Psymithe to accompany her to Grimm's studio. There she learned that Van Psymithe was really a criminal who was arrested previously thanks to Grimm and was bent on revenge. The Blonde Phantom easily subdued Vince and agreed to allow Oswald to pain her. Later, while attending the art gallery where the work was hanging, Louise was horrified to find that her alter-ego's portrait was a hideous abstract work . Soon after, the Blonde Phantom battled the Mole and Father Time . In her last recorded adventure during the 1940s, the Blonde Phantom apprehended Strongo, a circus strong man who was employed by Bing Brother's circus who attempted to steal the company payroll . Later Years In the late 1950s, Louise was recruited by Nick Fury for his team of super-operatives. Louise eventually left crime-fighting once she got married and became a housewife. Mark eventually died of old age. Louise determined that the same fate wouldn't befall her. Modern Age Louise worked as a legal secretary for New York District Attorney Blake Tower. Using her influence, Louise had convinced Blake to hire the superheroine and lawyer Jennifer Walters (She-Hulk). During She-Hulk's short tenure at the District Attorney's office, the two became friends. Louise helped She-Hulk in several cases, and using her quick wits, was instrumental in She-Hulk defeating the villain Stilt-Man. At one point, Louise was kidnapped by Mole Man and was exposed to a mystic liquid which transforms a person into their innermost self. Ultimately, the liquid had rejuvinated Louise to the physique and vitality of a forty-year-old woman, similar to her time as the Blonde Phantom. Later, She-Hulk had attempted an Ovoid mind switch with Louise, which instead resulted in a body swap. Louise and She-Hulk had traded physical stature and powers. However, the switch was short-lived and both returned back to their original states. Louise's daughter Wanda took up crimefighting too, under a codename similar to her mother's alter ego, the Phantom Blonde. Romance As a young woman, Louise was in love with her boss, Mark Mason. Initially Mark had no interest in Louise, but he did have a crush on her more glamorous alter ego of the Blonde Phantom. After Louise revealed her dual identity, the two eventually married in 1949 and had two children. Mark died in 1986. As a widow, Louise began a romantic relationship with She-Hulk's father, Morris Walters. They lived together and were even planning to get married. | Powers = Louise is a normal human woman with no super powers. However, during the brief body switch with She-Hulk, Louise temporarily gained superhuman strength, stamina, durability, and a regenerative healing factor. | Abilities = Louise is a skilled figher, an experienced detective, highly athletic and is seemingly trained in certain martial arts. She has also displayed the ability to see beyond the Fourth Wall. Presumably, this awareness allowed her to age much slower and thus only appeared to be middle aged by the time she first encountered She-Hulk. | Strength = Louise possesses the normal human strength of a woman of her age, height, and build who engages in moderate regular exercise. | Weaknesses = | Equipment = | Transportation = She-Hulk's flying car | Weapons = .45 caliber pistol | Notes = | Trivia = * Millie the Model once wore a different "Blonde Phantom" costume to promote a new perfume. | Links = * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blonde_Phantom * http://www.reocities.com/nichol_storm/BlondePhantom.html * http://www.reocities.com/jjnevins/phantom2.html }} Category:Golden-Age Characters Category:Invaders (Modern) members